


Carry That Weight

by MayQueen517



Series: The Old Guard Tumblr Prompts [4]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Gen, Joe is always here for a cuddle pile, Nile Freeman-centric, Nile needed a cuddle and the team is there to provide, Quynh and Nile learn modern Vietnamese together, Unbeta'd, background joe/nicky and andy/quynh, cross posted from tumblr, tumblr cuddle meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26722171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayQueen517/pseuds/MayQueen517
Summary: ...Totally platonicHer hair swings lightly and Nile shifts back, lifting the comforter so Quynh can dive under. Cuddling with Quynh is as normal as a bruise that heals quickly these days. Quynh wraps her arms around Nile, letting Nile sink against her tensely.
Relationships: Nile Freeman & Team
Series: The Old Guard Tumblr Prompts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1944751
Comments: 14
Kudos: 98





	Carry That Weight

**Author's Note:**

> Cross posting from Tumblr!
> 
> Title from the Beatles song of the same name!

Of the surprising things about her new life, Nile wouldn't have expected the most surprising one to be just how cuddly Quynh could be. If someone sits still for too long, it's pretty easy to see Quynh slipping into their arms or around their back to sit close. Nile doesn't mind, really; she watched her drown over and over again, far be it from Nile to deny her that. 

Nile's stretched on the floor, propped in what is sure to be her nest at this safe house. She's started making sure that extra comforters are stored in moth-proof bags for her own comfort. If she's going to have to sleep on the floor, she might as well have a pallet to her liking. 

There's a basketball game on that Nile's following idly, head pillowed on her arm and something like melancholy stealing over her. She can hear the laughter from the kitchen - Joe and Nicky washing up, from the variety of languages - and she idly wonders where Quynh and Andy are. It isn't that she's lonely, really. Nile turns the game up, hoping to drown out the doubt floating around her head, weighing on her when the door opens. 

Quynh and Andy stroll in, laughing and setting something down on the table from the sounds of the bags as Nile tucks closer to herself. The game is full of shouting and cheers as she focuses on it for a moment, feeling as if she could go to sleep or get up and run a few miles. 

She hears Andy kicking off her boots, Quynh chastising her and putting them away as Nile smiles to herself. Nile listens to their conversation, to Joe's obvious delight at whatever Andy picked out at the market. She's so focused on them that she doesn't notice Quynh padding closer.

"What are you doing all alone, little sister?" Quynh asks in the modern Vietnamese she and Nile are learning together. Her fingertips gently pull the comforter away from Nile's face. Nile looks up at her, seeing Quynh's shorter hair and smiling at the familiar concern. 

"I thought I needed alone time," Nile responds in Vietnamese, shifting around to sit up just a little. 

"But?" Quynh prompts, gently tucking one of Nile's braids behind her ear. It's gentle and careful in the way that Nile is used to Quynh being unless they're on a mission. Nile shrugs, switching back to English.

"I think maybe I didn't need that," Nile confesses as Quynh tilts her head. Her hair swings lightly and Nile shifts back, lifting the comforter so Quynh can dive under. Cuddling with Quynh is as normal as a bruise that heals quickly these days. Quynh wraps her arms around Nile, letting Nile sink against her tensely. 

"Oh, so this is where my wife disappeared to," Andy says, voice fond and easy in a way that Nile has had to get used to. Andy's softer now, a ready smile for more than just Joe or Nicky or Nile. 

"We are keeping Nile company," Quynh says in a tone that books no arguments. Andy calls out something to Joe and Nicky and Nile hides her face in Quynh's neck, breathing hard. Andy curls around Nile's back, pressing close and Nile leans back, letting them shift around. 

It's not terribly rare that they end up like this at a safe house but Nile knows by now that Quynh wants the weight of one or more of them and the comforter while Andy would prefer to not be covered. She hears Joe's soft, noise of pleasure as he slots himself behind Quynh, stretching his arms over to include Nile.

"Why didn't you say something, Nile?" Nicky asks, settling in at their feet. He will join them sooner than later, Nile knows. Nicky's warm hands curl around her feet and ankles as if he can ground her to the present when her brain gets too loud.

"Thought I just needed some alone time," Nile says finally, leaning her head back into Andy. Quynh hums, squirming closer so she can rest her head on Nile's collarbone, dragging Joe closer. 

Nile sometimes wonders if Quynh would be happiest if they all squished her.

"Are you committed to watching this?" Joe asks, looking over at the game, tracking the movement. Nile shrugs, feeling Andy's arms tighten as she exhales slowly. It's like the yoga she's started doing with Nicky, staying limber to escape away from the sharp hits that Andy relishes landing on her. 

"Nah, you can pick something," Nile says. She lets the voices wash over her, comforting and soothing that lonely hollow in her chest.

**Author's Note:**

> I am ALWAYS taking prompts over on Tumblr at [CactusDragon517](https://cactusdragon517.tumblr.com/) so please feel free to come leave me a prompt or just chat!!


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